Tennis

The Loyola University men’s tennis team put together another good showing this season, concluding with a 10-7 overall record, their sixth-consecutive winning season with 10 or more victories. In conference play, the Greyhounds finished the season with a 1-3 record, falling in the quarterfinals of the Patriot League Conference Championship to second-seeded Boston University.

The Greyhounds were led by senior captain Connor Lisco, a four-year starter, who completed his impressive career at Loyola with 47 singles and 24 doubles wins, while also accumulating a 43-27 team record. Lisco was an “A” flight singles consolation semifinalist at the Bucknell Invitational and won the “B” flight singles consolation at the Mount St. Mary’s Invitational.

Junior Harrison Kunkel performed well at No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles with Lisco, amassing 34 singles wins and 22 doubles victories during his three years as a Greyhound. He advanced to the “A” flight singles quarterfinals at the Bucknell Invitational.

Sophomore SensationsConnor Pietrak took over the top singles position for the Greyhounds in the 2013-14 season and was voted the team’s Most Valuable Player award at the Athletics’ Banquet. He earned 11 singles wins and 11 doubles victories at No. 3 with classmate Alex Castro for an impressive two-year total of 34. Pietrak also won the “A” flight singles championship at the Mount St. Mary’s Invitational and reached the “A” flight singles consolation final at the Bucknell Invitational.

Greg Olesnycky led the Greyhounds with an outstanding 19-8 record, 4-5 versus the Patriot League, at No.4 singles for a total of 31 in his two years as a Greyhound. Olesnycky won three dramatic three-set singles matches to advance to the finals of the “B” flight at the Bucknell Invitational and won the “B” flight singles title at the Mount St. Mary’s Invitational. He teamed with classmate Jordan Kuchta at No.2 doubles for the most team wins with 14 for a total of 28 in their two-year partnership. They reached the quarterfinals of the “A” flight at the Bucknell Invitational and semifinals at the Mount St. Mary’s Invitational.

Kuchta overcame a late-summer injury to have a successful sophomore season with nine wins at No. 5 singles for a career total of 24 to compliment his impressive 33 doubles triumphs.

Castro had the second most singles victories for the Greyhounds with 15 at No. 6 and has a 25-12 record over two seasons. He joined Olesnycky and Kuchta for the most team doubles wins in the season with 14. Castro and Pietrak won the “B” flight championship at the Mount St. Mary’s Invitational.

Up-and-coming FreshmenThe Greyhounds look forward to a bright future with positive performances by the freshmen class this season.

Max Shanbrom led the Greyhounds first-year players with a 7-5 singles record and a 3-1 doubles mark. He advanced to the “C” flight singles quarterfinals at the Bucknell Invitational and won the “D” flight consolation singles at the Mount St. Mary’s Invitational. He teamed with Castro to win the “B” flight doubles consolation tournament at Bucknell.

Classmate Max Bejian earned a 6-3 singles record as he reached the “B” flight singles consolation finals at Bucknell and also at the Mount St. Mary’s “D” flight singles tournament. He teamed with Pietrak to reach the “B” flight consolation tournament at Bucknell.

Academic StandoutsPietrak was honored this season for his great academic achievements, earning Patriot League All-Academic honors. The men’s tennis team placed second amongst Loyola’s eight men’s sports for the highest semester grade point average with a 3.337.

McClure EraCoach Rick McClure will be starting his 36th season with Loyola’s men’s program and 27th campaign with the women’s team. He has coached 1,118 matches with 317 victories for the men and 377 wins with the women’s program. Coach McClure will enter the 2014-15 season with a total of 694 total victories.